


the a word

by LtPastel



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Asperger Syndrome, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Neil has autism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-11 04:57:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15965183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LtPastel/pseuds/LtPastel
Summary: Neil has an emotional meltdown which leads him to discover that he is autistic.





	the a word

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic and the subject hits close to home. Hope you enjoy.

Neil sighed, sitting down on the edge of his cot which resided in the tent that Max and Neil both shared. Another long day of tinkering with various chemical compounds and giving social  interactions a blind eye. He was honestly exhausted, not because he was tired from labouring over a laboratory all day, but mentally. The constant name calling, the inability to communicate with others like a normal person just kinda… balls up until you can't take it anymore. Neil's hands clenched into fists as tears started to stream down the brunette’s face. This is a first for Neil. Overwhelming emotions fighting each other until he can't fuc    king take it anymore and his brain gives up and he starts crying. He thinks he's so pathetic. And these thoughts would continue, at least until Max would return to the tent around ten minutes after this whole mental breakdown stuff started.

Upon Max's entry, a look of shock spread across his face. “Fuck… Neil?”

The raven haired boy looked over to the brunette.

“A—are you okay..?” The smaller boy frowned, and asked that question in the nicest, softest voice he could muster.

Neil's eye twitched slightly as he looked over to Max. “Does it look like I'm fucking okay?!” He hissed, now tearing up even more that Max could see him in his 'pathetic’ state.

“Shit… Neil, I—…”

Max had went to lay a hand on Neil's shoulder, which made him flinch, his back arching inwards.

“D-don’t touch me…” Neil never really liked unwanted physical contact, especially when it was unexpected.

Max almost immediately pulled his hand away, sighing sadly.

“What's the matter, Neil..? Who the fuck did this to you?”

“Nobody, Max. I did this to myself. I just need to face the fact that I'm a shitty person.”

The air in the tent began to thin and the atmosphere filled with anxiety hit them both like a brick.

“I think there's something wrong with me…” Neil stated in a monotonous voice, his usual vocal range disappeared when _this_ happened.

“Like..?” Max responded, concerned for his best friend/love interest.

Neil dried his eyes. Just having Max present with him calmed him down enough.

“Fuck if I know, my parents didn't say anything and… well… maybe I'm autistic or something. Again, fuck if I know.”

Max remained silent for a few seconds, before speaking up with some “advice”.

“Why not ask David? Your parents had to have told the camp your medical conditions and shit, maybe he knows..?”

Neil quirked a brow. “Alright.”

The next day, at 9am exactly, not a second before, not a second after, but 9am sharp, Neil awkwardly stepped out of his tent, slipping away to avoid waking his tentmate, and moved over to the counselor’s cabin, not really knowing what to expect from this meeting. He timidly knocked on the door to the wooden cabin and waited outside.

David soon emerged from out of the cabin, in his usual attire, smiling and giving the Campe Diem salute. “Goooood morning! Ah, it’s Neil! Good morning, sport! I can see somebody is eager t--”

Neil cut him off, folding his arms and looking at David’s torso. “Yeah yeah, whatever. I need to ask you a question.”

“Why, of course! Ask away, kiddo!” David replied with his trademark impossible smile that is barely human.

“Can I see my… my file?” Neil stuttered, but eventually got his words out, looking up to the tall man shyly.

“Your file..? _Oh!_ Your documentation! Of course!” David smiled and crouched down to ruffle the boy’s fluffy brown hair, which caused Neil to flail his arms.

And back into the cabin he went, searching through the file cabinet and eventually retrieving his documents.

“Here you go!” He crouched again to hand the file to the boy, Neil immediately grabbed the file and ran back to the tent, dropping it onto the cot and then proceeding to vigorously shake Max awake.

“Max, Max, I got the file! Wake up!”

Neil slowed down his shaking, releasing his shoulders and allowing Max some time to realise what was going on. The shorter boy groaned and stretched his arms as far as they would go up into the air, yawning loudly and fluttering his eyes open.

“Gguh… why the fuck do I need to know this exactly..?” The black haired boy, overwhelmed with tiredness and annoyance rubbed his eyes, sighing once more.

“Because! We… I mean I, can find out what the hell is wrong with me and if my parents were hiding anything from me!”

Neil picked the file up, opening it and finding a terrible photograph of him inside, his full name, date of birth, and finally medical conditions. Asthma… just asthma..? Then he noticed something sticking to the page. A plain, white label covering some text. He gently peeled the label back to reveal two words, written in red Sharpie in block capitals. ‘ASPERGER’S SYNDROME’.

“I _fucking_ knew it! Those bastards were hiding it from me all this time!” Neil held the file up to show Max and the boy gasped once his eyes lay eyes on the peeled back label.

“So, this whole diagnosis was hidden from me for years. What the holy fucking hell?! Jesus fuck me!” Neil’s voice became raspy near the end of the sentence, he had lost breath due to the amount of passion in his tone. He took a swift puff of his inhaler and panted heavily.

“It does seem like that’s the case, huh? I’m… sorry to hear that..?” Max was never the best at comforting people, this just further proves that.

“It’s fine, Max. It’s not your fault. I’d always suspected this anyway, at least now the rumours are solidified, huh? The name calling at my school actually holds some truth now.”


End file.
